The history of the American Civil War comes alive in this exciting unit of study designed by playwright and actress Kathleen Gaffney. Students study the Civil War, learn about the lives of ordinary families, examine documents and artifacts in local museums and through the Internet, produce posters and banners inspired by those of the period, learn Civil War songs, and choreograph and dance pieces inspired by Civil War events. The unit culminates in a two-hour multi-media event where students and teachers take on the roles of actual Civil War families. With the skillful direction of Ms. Gaffney, these "families" take part in vignettes leading up to the Battle of Gettysburg. These events include the ordinary events of family life like the birth of a new child and birthdays and the extraordinary events of young men leaving families to go to war. The moving culmination involves writing letters to loved ones on the eve of this critical battle.